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USS Hammann (DE-131)
Encyclopedia
USS Hammann (DE-131) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort
built for the U.S. Navy during World War II
. She served in the Atlantic Ocean
and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.
She was named after Charles Hazeltine Hammann
who was awarded the Medal of Honor
, when, as a pilot of a seaplane
21 August 1918, off the coast of Italy
, he dived down and landed next to a downed fellow pilot, brought him aboard, and although his plane was not designed for the double load, brought him to safety amid constant danger of attack by Austria
n planes.
Hammann was laid down 10 July 1942 as Langley, renamed Hammann 1 August 1942, launched by Consolidated Steel Corporation
, Orange, Texas
, 13 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Lilliam Rhode, sister of Charles Hammann; and commissioned 17 May 1943, Lt. Comdr. B. D. deKay in command.
and shakedown
operations, returning to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, 6 July. From there the ship sailed to Norfolk, Virginia
, and on 13 July began the first of her many transatlantic convoy
voyages. Her first four passages to Casablanca
, Morocco
, covered the period 13 July 1943 to 10 March 1944. During this period she screened convoys in company with escort carriers. She made several attacks on submarine
contacts, but recorded no kills.
, stopping at ports in Northern Ireland
. Starting 4 January the ship changed her convoy destination to Liverpool
and made four more voyages protecting the vital flow of supplies for the end of the Europe
an war. During one passage, 2 March 1945, Hammann was called upon to aid one of the ships in the convoy, SS Lone Jack, after a torpedo
attack. The destroyer escort picked up 70 survivors and sent salvage parties aboard the stricken ship to keep her afloat.
7 July 1945 for training operations in the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, area, departing 24 July for California
. She arrived San Diego, California
, via the Panama Canal
4 August, and from there proceeded to Pearl Harbor
. As the Pacific war was then over, the destroyer escort took on passengers at Pearl Harbor for California, and after discharging them sailed through the Canal again to Charleston, South Carolina
, arriving 25 September.
, 24 October 1945, and was placed in reserve. She was later moved to the Texas Group at Orange, Texas
, where she remained out of commission in reserve until she was stricken 1 October 1972, sold 18 January 1974, and scrapped.
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
built for the U.S. Navy during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She served in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.
She was named after Charles Hazeltine Hammann
Charles Hammann
Charles Hazeltine Hammann was an officer in the United States Navy, an early naval aviator, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.-Biography:...
who was awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, when, as a pilot of a seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
21 August 1918, off the coast of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, he dived down and landed next to a downed fellow pilot, brought him aboard, and although his plane was not designed for the double load, brought him to safety amid constant danger of attack by Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n planes.
Hammann was laid down 10 July 1942 as Langley, renamed Hammann 1 August 1942, launched by Consolidated Steel Corporation
Consolidated Steel Corporation
Consolidated Steel Corporation was an American steel and shipbuilding business. Consolidated built ships during World War II in two locations: Wilmington, California and Orange, Texas...
, Orange, Texas
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
, 13 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Lilliam Rhode, sister of Charles Hammann; and commissioned 17 May 1943, Lt. Comdr. B. D. deKay in command.
World War II North Atlantic operations
Hammann departed 5 June for BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
and shakedown
Shakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
operations, returning to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, 6 July. From there the ship sailed to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, and on 13 July began the first of her many transatlantic convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
voyages. Her first four passages to Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, covered the period 13 July 1943 to 10 March 1944. During this period she screened convoys in company with escort carriers. She made several attacks on submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
contacts, but recorded no kills.
Rescuing survivors in the water
Between 28 March 1944 and 29 November 1944 the busy ship made no less than six more voyages successfully con-voying to and from EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, stopping at ports in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Starting 4 January the ship changed her convoy destination to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and made four more voyages protecting the vital flow of supplies for the end of the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an war. During one passage, 2 March 1945, Hammann was called upon to aid one of the ships in the convoy, SS Lone Jack, after a torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
attack. The destroyer escort picked up 70 survivors and sent salvage parties aboard the stricken ship to keep her afloat.
End-of-war activity
Her duties in the Atlantic completed, Hammann departed New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
7 July 1945 for training operations in the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, area, departing 24 July for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She arrived San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, via the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
4 August, and from there proceeded to Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. As the Pacific war was then over, the destroyer escort took on passengers at Pearl Harbor for California, and after discharging them sailed through the Canal again to Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, arriving 25 September.
Post-war decommissioning
She decommissioned at Green Cove Springs, FloridaGreen Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs is a city in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,378 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,908. It is the county seat of Clay County....
, 24 October 1945, and was placed in reserve. She was later moved to the Texas Group at Orange, Texas
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
, where she remained out of commission in reserve until she was stricken 1 October 1972, sold 18 January 1974, and scrapped.